Artificial christmas tree



March 18, 1958 w, A, WARRE 2,826,845

ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE Filed March 30, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1ATTORNEYS March 18, 1958 w W E ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed March 30, 1955 INVENTOR WILLIAM A. WARREN ATTORNEYS UnitedStates PatentO 2,826,845 ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE William A. Warren,

Warren Christmas Trees, Inc., a corporation of Nevada San Bernardino,Calif., assignor to San Bernardino, Calif.,

The present invention relates to artificial Christmas,

trees and more particularly to such trees which are assembled fromreadily separable members.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a structure of theclass described which in appearance, form and symmetry as well as incolor and texture will closely simulate a natural Christmas tree. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide an artificial tree whichmay be assembled and disassembled by unskilled persons with a minimum ofdirection and time, and which in its disassembled state may be packed ina relatively small container ready for reassembly and use year afteryear.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tree of the typereferred to above which will have sufiicient strength to supportChristmas ornaments.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingspecification when read in light of the attached drawings, in which: 3

Figure 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of an artificial treeconstructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of one of the couplers shown partially insection.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the coupler disclosed in Figure 2. s

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of one of the limbs with partsbroken away.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the branches 'with parts brokenaway.

Figure 6 is a transverse cross-section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the limb broken away.

Figure 8 is an end view of a modified form of leafed tree section.

Figure 9 is a transverse cross-section of the base with the trunksupport and trunk shown partially in section.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary side elevation of the tree trunk showing thetelescoping joint between sections in section.

Now referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral indicatesgenerally an artificial tree constructed according to the invention,which consists of a dished base element 16 provided with a trunksupporting inverted cup 17 that extends upwardly through an opening 18formed in the base 16. The cup 17 is flanged at 19 to engage under themarginal edge of the opening 18 with the cup 17 and the base 16 securedtogether by any suitable means such as welding. It should be noted thatthe cup 17 is constructed with a diminishing taper toward its upper end.

An elongated tapered trunk member 20 is adapted to be telescoped overthe trunk support cup 17 and frictionally held thereon. A second trunkelement 21 is also provided with an upwardly diminishing taper and isadapted to be telescoped over the upper end of the trunk member 20,while a third trunk member 22, somewhat smaller than the previouslynamed trunk members 20 end with parts e 2,826,845 Patented Mar. 18,12958 and 21, is provided with an upwardly diminishing taper and isadapted to be telescoped over the trunk member 21 at its upper end. Aspike 23 telescopes onto the upper end of the trunk member 22 andprovides the upper terminus of the trunk of the tree.

A series of coupling elements 24 are provided with a tapered bore 25which is adapted to engage the tapered trunk of the tree at difierentheights depending on the size of the 'bore25 in each coupler 24. Thecoupler 24 is provided with a series of radially extending sockets 26,the use of which will be described hereinafter. It should be noted thatthe coupler members 24 may have the socket members 26 extending at anydesired angle and with any suitable number of the sockets 26 attached toeach coupler. The couplers 24 will be constructed with a sufli'c'ientdifference of internal bore to space the couplers at desired verticalintervals along the trunk sections 20, 21 and 22.

The tree 15 is provided with limbs 27 which-are formed from taperedtubing and have a keyway 28 formed in the inner end thereof to engagewith a key 29 extending longitudinally of the sockets 26. The inner endof the limb 27 is adapted to engage in the socket 26 with the keyway 28engaging about the key 29 to prevent relative rotation between the limb27 and the coupler 24. The limb 27 is further provided with spacedrectangular openings 30 which are adapted to receive rectangular branchsupports or pins 31 as shown in Figure 4, the arrangement of theopenings and pins being such as to dispose the latter in longitudinallyand circumferentially spaced relation on the limbs.

in accordance with the present invention and as a principal featurethereof, a plurality of branches or leafed tree sections 32 areremovably mounted on the pins 31 so as to provide a realistic tree-likeappearance.

As a further and important feature of the present invention, theseleafed tree sections are molded from a thermoset plastic material toprovide a central stem 41 and a plurality of integrally formed outwardlyextending elongated leaf-like elements 35. By the use of an appropriateplastic material such as polystyrene, polyethylene and the like, thestem 41 and the elements 35 are made pliably flexible yetself-supporting in, and self-restoring to, a preset normal position. Inthe case of the branch section 32, the stem portion 41 is formed with arectangular central socket or bore the pins 31 with the inner end 34 ofthe stem 41 in engagement with the limb 27.

A similar leafed tree section 37 is removably mounted on the outer end36 of the limb. A-s here shown in Figure 4, the section 37 is formedwith a central stem 42 and integrally formed outwardly extendingelongated leaf-like elements 43. Mounting of the limb end 37 isfacilitated by a provision in one end of the stem 420i a longitudinallyextending socket 38 which is dimensioned to engage over a reduced shankend 36 on the limb.

It should be noted that the limbs 27 may be constructed of variouslengths and diameters and may be provided with varying numbers ofbranches 32 to permit the artificial tree 15 to be constructed with anupward taper closely simulating a natural tree in appearance.

In the use and operation of the invention, the base 16 has the trunksections 20, 21 and 22 mounted thereon and the couplers 24, startingwith the largest, are positioned on the trunk members 20, 21 and 22 toreceive the limbs 27. Limbs 27 are then inserted in the sockets 26 ofthe couplers 24, and then the branch supports 31 are inserted throughthe limbs 27 The branch supports 31 are flared upwardly as shown inFigure 4, to provide a more natural appearance. Branches 32 are theninserted on the branch supports 31 and limb ends 37 are connected to theend of limbs 27, completing the individual branch 33 dimensioned forreceiving of limb construction. all limbs have been provided withbranches and ends, in accordance with the invention. The spike element23 is then inserted in the top of the uppermost trunk section 22, andthe tree is completed.

Inthe case of the leafed tree sections 32 and 37, the elongatedleaf-likeelements are preferably arranged in circumferentially spaced andlongitudinally extending rows. In the case of sections 32 (and similarlyin the case of section 37), a pair of such rows 44 and 46 ex tend fromthe central stem 41 at substantially diametrically opposed positions asseen in Figure 6 and on opposite sides of and substantially symmetricalto other elongated leaf-like elements arranged in one or moreintermediate rows 47 and 48. The elements in the two center rows 47 and48 are preferably staggered longitudinally from each other, as best seenin Figure 5. Conveniently the stern section 41 may be formed of channelshapedcross-section as seen in Figure 6, so as to define thelongitudinal socket or bore 33 between a pair of spaced longitudinallyextending sides 49 and 51 which are substantially diametrically opposedand serve to support the rows 44 and 46 of elongated leaf-like elements.As will be further observed from Figure 6, the outside rows 44 and 46preferably extend both outwardly and upwardly so as to diverge symmetricto a center line plane of the stern and symmetrical to the intermediaterows 47 and 48.

A modified form of leafed tree section is illustrated in Figure 8. Thissection is also formed or molded from thermoset plastic material so asto provide a central stem 52 and integrally formed circumferentiallyspaced and longitudinally extending rows of elongated leaf-like elements53 as in the case of the leafed tree sections 32 and 37. However; in theform illustrated, the outside, substantially diametrically opposed rows54 and 55 have their elements curved outwardly and circumferentially ofthe stem in the direction of and substantially symmetric to the centerrows 56 and 57. The upwardly curving elements in rows 54 and 55 thusdefine a cup-like arrangement simulating the natural form of the red fir(Abies magnifier: A. Murray). In this arrangement the upper ends of theelements in rows 54 and 55 preferably termi- This procedure is repeateduntil' nate in a substantially horizontal plane, adjacent the upper endsof the elements in the intermediate rows 56 and 57, it being noted thatthe elements in these latter rows are somewhat shorter in length. Thestem 52 is here formed with a longitudinally extending opening or socket58 dimensioned for receiving and mounting upon one of the pins 31 or thelimb end 36.

What is claimed is:

1. In an artificial Christmas tree, a leafed tree section molded fromthermoset plastic material to provide a central stem of inverted channelshaped cross-section do fining a pair of spaced longitudinally extendingsides each formed with a longitudinally extending row of outwardlyextending elongated leaf-like elements, a third row of said elementsprojecting outwardly from said stem medially between said firstmentioned rows, said stem being formed at one end "with a longitudinallyextending mounting socket, said stem and elements being pliably flexibleyet self-supporting in and self-restoring to a preset normal position.

2. In an artificial Christmas tree, a leafed tree section ascharacterized in claim 1 wherein said elongated leaflike elementsprojecting from the longitudinally spaced sides of said stem are curvedupwardly in a cup-like arrangement symmetrical to said third row of:said ele- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 632,121 Hummel Aug. 29, 1899 1,478,728 Brown Dec. 25, 19232,186,351 Stojaneck Jan. 9, 1940 2,622,358 Reeves Dec. 23, 1952 OTHERREFERENCES Vinyl plants are true to life, Modern Plastics, June 951.

